Lid actuating assembly



Feb. 3, 1959 G, A. LEHMANN ET AL 2,872,063

un ACTUATING ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 2o, 195e 'Q l 3- INvENToRS,

l l I G50/26E A. LEHMANN, 7 40. w/LL/AM E. Gamm-FINGER.

f7 20 `/6 jrToRh/ Liv LID ACTUATING ASSEMBLY George A. Lehmann, Ferguson, and William E. Gundelfinger, House Springs, Mo., assignors to The Dazey Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application February 20, 1956, Serial No. 566,565 Claims (Cl. 220-36) This invention relates generally to improvements in an ice-crushing machine, and more particularly to means adapted selectively to cause automatic raising and lowering of the lid upon rotation of the ice-crushing mechamsm.

The appliances that have heretofore been utilized for crushing ice include a receptacle to which a lid is hingedly attached, a cup located below the receptacle for receiving crushed ice particles, and ice-crushing elements mounted on a shaft extending transversely through the receptacle and operated by rotation of an external crank. It is an important objective of the present invention to provide a lid-actuating assembly in an ice crusher of this type adapted to lift and retain the lid in a raised position when the crank is turned in one direction, thus facilitating introduction of ice cubes or chunks into the receptacle, and adapted to permit lowering of the lid when the crank is turned in the opposite direction for normal ice-crushing operation.

Another important object is realized by the provision of an actuating element rotatable with a shaft extending transversely through the receptacle, and by the provision of an arm rotatably mounted in the receptacle and operatively connected to means for raising the lid. The arm and actuating element are relatively disposed so that the element engages the arm to 'cause an effective lifting of the lid when the shaft is turned in one direction, and operatively disengages the arm to permit lowering of the lid when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction.

Still another important object is achieved by the provision of camming means between the arm and actuating element which acts to move the arm operatively out of the path of rotation of the element to enable free shaft rotation in one direction, and hence afford normal icecrushng operation.

Yet another important object is realized by a stop means in the receptacle adapted to limit the extent of rotation of the arm by the actuating element, and hence assure that the lid is retained in the desired raised position for loading purposes.

Other advantages are realized by a guide means in the receptacle adapted to cooperate with a rod operatively connected to the above described arm to assure engagement of the rod with the lid, and hence obtain a lifting of the lid upon effective engagement of the arm by the actuating element.

Another important object is realized in that the lid- -actuating assembly is simple and durable in construction,

economical to manufacture, and automatic in operation upon manipulation of the crank that is normally utilized during ice-crushing operation.

Another important object is realized by a lid-actuating -assembly in which the component parts are arranged and operatively connected to permit the lid to be maintained in a closed position while the shaft with its attached icecrushing elements isY turned in one direction incident to 7 normal ice-crushing operation, and to permit effective cooperation of the parts to lift the lid to a raised position Patented Feb. 3, 1959 automatically when the shaft direction by the crank.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the icecrushing device as seen along a medial vertical plane;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view, partly in cross section, as seen along staggered line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the lid is turned in the opposite in a fully closed position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2, partly in' cross section, but with the lid-actuating mechanism moved to a position to retain the lid in a raised position, and

Fig. 4 is a top the lid removed.

Referring now Iby characters of reference to the drawing, the ice-crushing device includes a receptacle generally indicated at 1t), defining a chamber 11 adapted to receive ice introduced through the top of such receptacle. A lid 12 is hingedly attached by pin 13 to receptacle l0 and adapted to close chamber 11 when disposed in the lowered position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower end of receptacle 1t? is formed to provide a grooved shoulder formation 14 that receives and cooperates with interiitting shoulders i5 formed internally on hollow plastic cup f6 to realize a detachable connection between the receptacle il@ and cup 16. The cup i6 is located immediately subjacent opening i7 formed in receptacle 16 through which the crushed ice is directed. rfhe receptacle itl is provided with a downwardly tapered, funnel-like formation 2t) immediately below the ice-crushing mechanism, such funnel-like formation 2t? extending into the top of cup 16. When the desired amount of crushed ice'is contained in cup 16, the cup 1.6 is rotated receptacle 10.

The ice-crushing mechanism-is carried by receptacle it) v and includes a shaft 2l extending diametrically transverse of the receptacle 1t), one end of shaft 21 being rotatively mounted in boss portion 22 .and the opposite end being rotatively mounted in sleeve portion 23. The shaft end mounted in boss portion 22 extends outwardly of receptacle 10 and is fastened by pin 21tto crank 25. The intermediate shaft portion 26, best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is hexagonal in conguration for purposes which will later lbe apparent.

A plurality of blade elements 27 (Fig. 1) are mounted in driven relation on shaft21., such blade elements 27 having a hexagonal center opening conforming to the shaft portion 26. Spacers 3@ are utilized to separate blade elements 27 axially along the hexagon shaft portion 26 and to maintain the blade elements in such spaced positions. `In assembly, the spacers Sti slipover hexagon shaft portion 26. The blade elements 27 are preferably arranged in angular relation about the shaft 2i to realize `a more effective ice crushing operation. After the blade elements 27 and spacers 30 are located on shaft portion 26, an end spacer 31 is located on and fixed to hexagon shaft portion 26 by a retaining pin 32, as is best shown in Fig. 2.

Located internally of receptacle it) are a plurality of coacting blades 33 which are arranged on opposite sides of transverse shaft 2l and adapted to cooperate with blade elements 27 to crush ice the actuating element 35 having a projecting iinger 36 l (Fig. 2), and a washer 37 located between arm 34 and plan View of the ice-crushing device with actuating element 3S. The arm 34 includes an angular portion 4i? that extends normally into the path of rotation of the actuating element 35 when the shaft 21 is rotated in one direction, the iinger 36 of element 3S engaging angular arm portion 4t) as is shown in Fig. l.

Disposed about shaft 21 is a compression spring 41, one end of which engages receptacle 11i and the other end engages arm 34. The spring 41 tends to move arm 34 axially along shaft 21 and against washer 37, and tends to maintain the angular arm portion 4G normally in the path of rotation of actuating element For reasons which will later appear, the spring 41 permits movement of arm 34 against spring loading to a position effectively out of the path of rotation of element 35.

Pivotally connected to an extension portion 420i arm 34 is a rod 43 that normally extends upwardly so that its outermost end is disposed closely adjacent lid 12 (Figs. l and 2). A plate member 44 is fastened to receptacle 10 by screw 45, the plate member 44 being provided with a slot 46 through which the: rod 43 extends. The rod 43 engages plate member 44 during the upward movement'of. rod 43 through slot 46 such that the plate 44 constitutes a guiding means that directs the rod into effective engagement with lid 12 to cause a lifting of the lid.

When shaft 21 is rotated in one direction by crank 25, i. e. counterclockwise as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, finger 36 of actuating element 31 engages angular arm portion 40 and moves arm 34 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3. 1n this position, arm shoulder 47 engages stop element S0. Upon rotation of arm 34 to the position shown in Fig. 3, the rod 43 is moved upwardly through slot 46 and guided by plate member 44 into engagement with lid 12, and hence causes the lid 12 to be lifted to the position shown in Fig. 3. .Engagement of arm shoulder 47 with stop element Stllimits the effective rotation of arm 34 and assures that lid 12 will be maintained in a lifted position.

While the lid is maintained in its raised position as shown in Fig. 3, cubes or chunks of ice may be introduced into the chamber 11 of receptacle 10. Then the crank 25 is rotated in the other direction (clockwise as shown in Figs. 2 and 3) whichpermits lid 12 to he lowered automatically to the position shown in Figs. l and 2. As the finger 36 is rotated clockwise by shaft 21, the gravitational forceof lid 12 acting through rod 43 causes arm 34 to rotate to the position shown in Fig. 2.

Upon continued clockwise rotation of shaft 21 by crank 25, the blade elements 27 cooperate with blades 33 to crush the cubes of ice, the ice falling through funnellike formation 20 into plastic cup 16 as described previously. As nger 36 of actuating element 31 is moved clockwise by shaft21, the finger 36 engages a camming shoulder 51 formed on angular arm portion 40, the finger 36 and cooperating camming shoulder 51 causing movement of angular arm portion 4t? operatively out of the path of actuating element 31. The above described coaction of finger 36 and camming shoulder 51 moves arm 34 axially along shaft 21 (to the left as shown in Fig. l) against the loading of spring 41. After finger 36 passes angular arm portion 40 and operatively disengages from camming shoulder 51, the spring 41 forces arm 34 back to the initial position as shown in Fig. l in which angular arm portion 4t) extends once again into the path of rotation of actuating element 31.

It isapparent that nger 36 and camming shoulder 51 permit unhampered rotation of shaft 21 in one direction to realize effective ice-crushing operation of blade elements27 and 33. However, spring 41 tends to maintain arm 34 in position for effective engagement of finger 36 with angular arm portion 4d upon rotation of shaft 21V by crank 2S in the opposite direction so as to obtain an automatic lifting of lid 12. Y

Although the invention has beendescribed by making detailed-reference to asingle preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense, many Variants being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

We claim as our invention:

l. In a lidactuating assembly for an ice crusher device having a receptacle and a lid hingedly attached thereto, the assembly comprising a shaft extending transversely through the receptacle, means for turning the shaft, an arm-actuating element carried by the .haft and rotatable therewith, an arm element freely mounted for rotation on said shaft, said arm element having a portion that extends normally into the path of rotation of said actuating element, resilient means engaging said arm element and tending to urge the arm element axially along said shaft in a direction to maintain said arm element portion in said path, a rod pivotally connected to said arm element, said actuating element engaging said arm element portion to rotate said arm element when the shaft is turned in 'one direction, guide means in said receptacle for directing the rod into lid-lifting engagement with the lid upon actuation of said arm element by said actuating element, stop means in said receptacle engaging said arm element to limit the rotation of said arm element by said actuating element to assure that the rod retains the lid in a raised position, the actuating element being operatively disengageable from said arm element portion to permit closing of the lid when the shaft is rotated in the opposite direction, a cam on one said element and a cam follow:l

Von the other element, the cam and follower engaging to displace the arm element portion out of the path of said actuating element against the loading of said resilient means when the shaft is turned in the said opposite direction, whereby to permit free rotation of said shaft in the last said direction with the lid in the closed position.

2. A lid-actuating assembly for a receptacle having a lid hingedly attached thereto, the assembly comprising a shaft extending transversely through said receptacle, means connected to said shaft for turning said shaft, an actuating element attached to said shaft and rotatable therewith, an arm element rotatively mounted on saidV shaft, said arm element having an abutment extending into the path of rotation of said actuating element, a rod pivotally .connected to said arm element, said actuating element engaging said abutment to rotate said arm element when the shaft is turned in one direction for moving the rod-into lid-lifting engagement with the lid, stop means in said receptacle engaging said arm element t0 limit rotation of said arm element'by said. actuating ele. ment to assure that the rod retains the lid in a raised position, said abutment having a cam portionY engaging said actuating element to displace the arm element portion out of the path of said actuating element when the shaft is turned in the said opposite direction whereby to permit free rotation of said shaft in the last said direction with the lid in the closed position.

3. In a lid-actuating assembly for a receptacle havingl a lid hingedly attached thereto, the assembly comprising a shaft extendingktransversely through said receptacle, means for turning the shaft, an arm-actuating element attached to said shaft and rotatable therewith, an arm element freely mounted for rotation on said shaft and axiallyrmovable along said shaft, said arm element having an abutment extending normally into the path of rotation of said actuating'element, resilient means engaging said arm element and tending to urge said abutment into said path, a rod pivotally connected to said arm element,

said actuating element engaging said abutment to rotate y said arm element when the shaft is turned in one direction for moving the rod into lid-lifting engagement with the lid, stop means in Said receptacle engaging said arm element to limit the. rotation of said arm element by said actuating element to assure that the rod retains the lid in araised positiomsaid-abutmentincluding a cam.

engageable with the actuatingelement to displace the abutmentoutof the path lof said .actuating element against .o

the loading of said resilient means when the shaft is turned in the said opposite direction, whereby to permit free rotation of said shaft in the opposite direction with the lid in the closed position.

4. In a lid-actuating assembly for a receptacle having a lid hingedly attached thereto, the assembly comprising a shaft mounted in said receptacle, means connected to said shaft for turning said shaft, an arm actuating element attached to said shaft and rotatable therewith, an arm element freely mounted for rotation on said shaft, lid-lifting means connected to said arm element, said arm actuating element and said arm element having abutment portions interengaging to rotate said arm element when the shaft is turned in one direction for moving the lid-lifting means into lid-lifting engagement with the lid, stop means in said receptacle engaging said arm element to limit the rotation of said arm element by said actuating element to assure that the lidlifting means retains the lid in a raised position, said arm element having a cam portion engaging said arm-actuating element to displace the abutment portion of said arm element out of the path of said actuating element when the shaft is turned in the opposite direction, whereby to permit free rotation of said shaft in the last said direction with the lid in the closed position.

5. In a lid-actuating assembly for a receptacle having a lid hingedly attached thereto, a shaft extending transversely through the receptacle, means connected to said shaft for turning said shaft, an arm-actuating element attached to said shaft and rotatable therewith, an arm element freely mounted for rotation on said shaft and axially movable along said shaft, said arm element having an abutment that extends normally into the path of rotation of said actuating element, resilient means engaging said arm element and tending to urge the arm element axially along said shaft in a direction to maintain said abutment in said path, lid-lifting means attached to said arm element, said actuating element engaging said abutment to rotate said arm element when the shaft is turned in one direction to move the lid-lifting means into lid-lifting engagement with the lid, stop means in said receptacle engaging said arm element to limit the rotation of the arm element by said actuating element to assure that the lid-lifting means retains the lid in a raised position, the said abutment having a cam engaging the actuating element to displace the abutment out of the path of said actuating element against the loading of said resilient means when the shaft is turned in the said opposite direction, whereby to permit free rotation of said shaft in the last said direction with the lid in closed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

